Almost
by SaturnineSunshine
Summary: Chuck was still staring at her. True to Serena's predictions, Blair's eyes shifted across the room and they met in a steady haze." Future fic inspired by events from the movie Almost Famous. Narrated by an outsider commenting on the chair relationship
1. The Hamptons

**A/N**: So this is a future fic, obviously Chair. If any of you have ever seen Almost Famous, I basically got all of my ideas from that because Penny Lane and Russel's secret, not so secret affair reminded me of Chuck and Blair as well as Jeff and Leslie, a little bit. Its told from the perspective from an unknown narrator. The point is you never find out who it is, the name, or even gender. Its just the otuside perspective about the CHuck and Blair relationship (I guess basically me, but whatever.) Its also supposed to be short. It has short installments and also, everything is really frank and to the point. This will be a three-shot so I hope you like it because I will be continuing it. I don't know if this is obvious, but I never have a beta, so sorry for all the grammatical and spelling mistakes.

**Summary**: Blair had her back turned and when she came back to us, her dark eyes met Chuck's auburn ones. That should have been the first sign, when they stared deeply into each others eyes for what seemed like eons. Then something like mischief flickered across Chuck's face as he took her hand and put it to his lips

**Disclaimer**:I don't own Gossip Girl, Chuck, Blair, or Almost Famous.

* * *

I met Blair Waldorf first. I had heard how much of a bitch she was and I had witnessed that on my own account. But I had also witnessed something else that I couldn't name. Because that was also the night that I met Chuck Bass for the first time. Both different and unique souls but when they saw each other, there was something there that I couldn't explain.

I was under the impression that they had never met before.

"Chuck," I said at the garden party. It was growing late in the afternoon and the sun was just setting over the horizon. "This is Blair Waldorf. Blair, this is Chuck Bass."

Blair had her back turned and when she came back to us, her dark eyes met Chuck's auburn ones. That should have been the first sign, when they stared deeply into each others eyes for what seemed like eons. Then something like mischief flickered across Chuck's face as he took her hand and put it to his lips.

"Pleasure."

I was aware that Chuck could be quite the womanizer, but it seemed different when he tenderly brushed a stray lock of dark hair away from her eyes.

"Have we..." Blair stared, looking mischievous herself, "met before?" Chuck just turned his head, his eyes glinting. I was totally and utterly confused. They still hadn't let go of each others hand. It was a little eerie how their smirks were matching.

* * *

I had always liked Chuck Bass. Everyone was always critical about the way he lived his life, but when you actually talked to him, he wasn't like that at all. Blair seemed to notice that about him too.

"Hey," he said outside where his limo was parked. He seemed a little out of it, but I just took that to be the copious amounts of scotch he seemed to ingest.

"Everyone's heading to the Hamptons. You should come."

I nodded eagerly. I was new to the city. I had heard that outsiders were generally not accepted on the Upper East Side, but maybe that was just regarding people from Brooklyn. And I suppose it didn't hurt that my family owned half of San Francisco.

"And..." he said a little hesitantly (weird), "tell your friend ...Blair Waldorf to call me. It won't be the Hamptons without her and I want her around like last summer."

I nodded again, trying to remember all of the information. I didn't ponder until later what it all meant. That was the second red flag. But honestly, Manhattan was a little overwhelming. I had never met people like Blair and Chuck before.

"Blair," I called as I saw her striding through the crowd after he left. She hesitated outside. "You just missed Chuck." She nodded slowly, silently telling me to continue." He said he was heading to the Hamptons and that he wanted you to call him."

There was that weird smirk again.

"So..." I said casually as she reached her own limo. "How well do you know each other."

Blair stared at me steadily, smile never leaving her lips. She never answered as her limo drove away.

* * *

I had never been to the Hamptons. It was pretty much like Manhattan except for beaches. There were clubs and giant townhouses. But being with these people was just glamorous, wherever they went. And I loved it.

"So..." I said as Blair took me there in her limo. "You and Chuck..."

"No," she said hastily. "I'm engaged."

And that was that. But just because someone was _almost _married didn't mean that they weren't madly in love with someone else. Besides. Almost married wasn't married. Especially not on the Upper East Side. Even married wasn't married on the Upper East Side.

Blair opened the doors to the massive party at the van der Woodsen's townhouse and everything seemed to stop for her. The occupants of the party all looked to see the magnificent Blair Waldorf enter the room. I couldn't help but notice Chuck Bass's eyes particularly captivated by her.

"B!" came a girlish scream.

"Yes, its me," Blair sighed.

She then turned and let out a girlish scream at the sight of a mane of blond hair that came catapulting towards her. They were caught in a huge embrace, laughing.

"I need a drink," Blair sighed and left me awkwardly next to the goddess Serena Archibald.

"Hi," she said warmly. I stuttered a hello and she laughed.

"You've come to see the show?"

"What?" I asked in confusion. Serena nodded towards the bar where Blair was sipping a gin martini and across the room, Chuck was mimicking her actions with a scotch, still not looking away from her.

"It goes like this," Serena articulated frankly. "Its been this way since we were 16. Tale as old as time. You can divide the night up into sections.

"1. She pretends that she doesn't care about him. Notice her diligently ignoring him. Like that will last for long.

"2. He pretends he doesn't care but since he is of course Chuck Bass--" Serena rolled her eyes "--he goes right for her."

Chuck was still staring at her. True to Serena's predictions, Blair's eyes shifted across the room and they met in a steady haze.

"3," Serena continued, "where everything pans out like she schemed in the first place."

My eyes narrowed and Serena noticed.

"You do know why you're here, don't you?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"You're her excuse. She can't be here of her own free will. Then he wins."

"What?" I asked again in confusion. Serena rolled her eyes.

"I have absolutely no idea. They've always played these games since they were teenagers."

"So they're..."

"Undefined," Serena shrugged. "Even when they were together they never labeled it. But it was obvious."

"What was?" I asked.

"They are desperately and passionately in love and nothing will ever stop that."

"But Blair said she was getting married."

"Yeah... For about the 4th time" Serena said disapprovingly. "You should have seen him when he found out, though. He never let anyone see but there was a reason why Eric had to drag him out of a bar at 3 in the morning for a month," Serena said, nodding towards her brother next to Chuck.

I looked out just to see Blair retreat to the balcony. "Fresh air" apparently. Well, it seemed like Chuck miraculously needed fresh air at the exact same moment because he quickly followed in pursuit. A couple people rolled their eyes like they were expecting it, but the rest didn't seem to take notice. It was like it was just a lifestyle. Apparently so were Chuck and Blair.

I didn't hear what he was saying but I could see her expression through the glass door that led to the terrace. She was captivated and obviously falling hard and fast for his charms. I almost wanted to stop him, but then I realized something was different than his usual reputation. I had to comprehend that this wasn't just any girl. This was Blair and this was Chuck. It wasn't like I really knew them, but they both had this aura like this was just how things were.

So all I could do was stare, mesmerized as Chuck took a quick stepped forward as he pressed her harshly against the railing in a desperate lip lock. I felt weird watching the two make out but there was something almost innocnet and pure about how hopless they were that I couldn't stop.


	2. The Bass Jet

**A/N**: I won't be able to update for a week because I'm going away, but here's the second installment. Like I said before, the point is that everything is short and choppy, so sorry if everything's rushed. I also am without a beta, obviously.

**Summary**: Chuck's lips curled sardonically. "It's not like this marriage of convenience was a secret. Everyone knows it. Not only that, but everyone knows getting married is the best way to scorn a past lover."

**Disclaimer**: Don't own Gossip Girl or any other ways I got inspiration.

* * *

Girls were everywhere. It was hard to ignore them. Drugs were everywhere. It was hard to ignore them too. Money, alcohol... everything you wanted was just in your grasp. I thought I was overwhelmed in Manhattan. This was ridiculous. Traveling the world with New York's richest was something that was indescribable. Especially when you knock on Chuck Bass's door when you shouldn't.

"Go away!"

I was startled by Chuck's yell.

"Uh..." I said lamely, "should I come back later?"

"Yes," came the yell. "I'm in too euphoric a mood."

"Isn't that good?" I called through the door.

"Go aw--"

The door snapped open and in the doorway stood Blair. I saw Chuck stalking around in the background with his shirt unbuttoned, untucked from his pants, revealing his chest. Blair was in a slip. Oh.

"Sorry," Blair shook her head. "He doesn't deal with hangover's well."

"Right," I answered, trying to avert my eyes at the obvious cover up.

"You can talk to him tonight," she assured.

"Go away," Chuck called from the back of the room.

Blair began closing the door when I heard her talking to him.

"You're so rude."

"It's fine..."

* * *

I could tell when the time came for Blair to go back to her fiancee. Her laughter was shorter lived. She wasn't as light or carefree. Chuck was more brooding, never leaving the aide of his best friend Scotch. Yells like "please go the hell away" shouted from closed doors followed by light laughter had almost dissipated completely.

We were all taking the Bass Jet back to Manhattan. Including Blair's fiancee who had finally joined us in our travels a time later. Chuck was as moody as ever. He leered more, dangerously close to the couple. He sent angsty glares that Blair most certainly noticed. She noticed everything. So did he.

"Do you really think its the best idea?"

Blair looked at me warily.

"We're all going to the same place," she offered.

"But Chuck and..."

"It doesn't matter," Blair said. "Everyone knows that score. I'm engaged. That's it."

"Why are you even here?" I asked exasperatedly. I knew that Blair's image was Queen Bitch. But there were times with just a gin martini in hand where I saw she was falling apart at the seams. She lived for merely one lecherous glance from Chuck. It didn't seem right.

"You don't know what you're talking about," Blair suddenly snapped. "Everyone has this portrayal of what we should be. No one sees him for who he really is. No one really sees me. Except him."

There was no question of who this "him" was.

"You don't know the things he says to me when we're alone. He's sweet and gentle and romantic--"

"And yet you're going back to your fiancee," I spat. I didn't know why I cared so much. These people had become my friends so fast in such a short period of time but I cared about them. I didn't like seeing Blair and Chuck torturing themselves like this. Some people spent their entire lives searching the world for what these two shared.

"Look," Blair said quietly. "It's just not that easy. Chuck comes and goes whenever he pleases. I'm getting married to someone who won't turn on me in a second."

"But you don't love him."

It was the truth.

"Successful marriages aren't connected to love," Blair said sadly.

"But happiness is."

What did I know? I didn't know anything about love. But then why did I get the feeling that the world would end if these two tortured souls didn't end up together?

* * *

It was weird. The fiancee and the... whatever Chuck was... traveling together. Blair met us at the helipad. I noticed Chuck's captivated expression as she strode down the concrete. Her fiancee waved. I never bothered with his name. He didn't seem worth it.

"Blair," greeted Chuck. Blair cast him a cold look. It was always about appearances on the Upper East Side.

"Charles," she greeted coolly. I realized she only called him this in the presence of her husband-to-be. Chuck was aware too. He cast her fiancee a acidic look over Blair's shoulder as they embraced awkwardly.

***

Chuck's scotch glass shattered as the jet jerked. Eric shifted uncomfortably. I never really liked flying.

_This is your pilot speaking. It appears that we've caught the edge of an electrical storm. Please fasten all seat belts..._

Lightning streaked the sky next to Blair's window as the jet shook.

"Oh my god," Blair said. I felt physically nauseous.

"And electrical storm?" Chuck asked incredulously. As if this could occur on one of his jets. But I knew better when his eyes were on Blair's panic stricken face. She never liked storms. He knew that. Apparently her fiancee didn't.

Thunder cracked all around them. Eric leaned his forehead against the seat in front of him, trying to calm himself. Blair clenched the arm rests as Chuck clenched his jaw, trying to reign in his emotions.

The whole cabin lit up as another streak of lightning flashed by us. The pilots door burst open as one of them emerged.

"We're going to have to land early," he said nervously. "We found a field we could land in..."

"A field?" Blair yelled.

"Don't worry," the pilot said as he retreated back into the cockpit. "We're going to get you out of this."

That was when chaos ensued.

Blair screwed her eyes shut, hanging on anything for support.

"He just told us we're going to die," Nate said, his eyes closed as well.

"We're not going to die," Serena reassured.

Suddenly the pilot's door burst open again revealing mayday sounds and the pilots shouting into their headsets. The pilot noticed and slammed the door shut again.

"Oh my god," Blair cried again.

"If something should happen," Nate said uncertainly.

"Archibald, don't," Blair snapped.

"No," Nate said. "Just know that I love all of you."

"Oh my god!" Blair screamed. Chuck's hands flew out and grabbed the seat in front of him in reflex as the cabin shuddered.

"Me too," Serena said. "We're family."

Chuck's eyes flicked to Blair's to see with dismay that tears were silently rolling down her cheeks.

"I slept with Jenny," Nate said suddenly.

"What?" Serena exclaimed.

"It was before we were married," Nate assured her. "But I told Dan I didn't when I really did."

"So I guess this is time for confession?" Blair yelled. Chuck pinched the bridge of his nose. I couldn't help but look on at these people who were confessing everything they had ever done because they thought they were going to die. It was quite an eye opener.

"I slept with Blair," Chuck said suddenly. Her fiancee's eyes flicked angrily to Chuck's sudden confession. Somehow, he didn't seem surprised. It didn't mean he wasn't angry. "When you two were fighting."

That didn't really make a difference. Chuck also slept with her when they weren't. But I guess that was how they reconnected. Some addictions you just can't kick.

"You slept with Chuck?" he asked.

Blair cast her eyes angrily over at her fiancee, surprisingly not at Chuck.

"Oh my god!" he yelled. "You were sleeping with him in the Hamptons."

"Oh, please," Blair cried. "Its not like you cared. Everyone knows you only asked me to marry you so your father's company and my mother's could merge."

"That sounds familiar," Chuck said darkly.

"I don't want to hear it, Chuck," Blair snapped.

"'Chuck?'" her fiancee sneered. He was finally witnessing Blair and Chuck in there as they really were.

"Please," Chuck's lips curled sardonically. "It's not like this marriage of convenience was a secret. Everyone knows it. Not only that, but everyone knows getting married is the best way to scorn a past lover."

I was sure her fiancee was going to lunge across and throttle Chuck right there. He had that affect on most people.

"And I'm still in love with you, Blair."

That much was obvious.

Blair flicked her hair back as she gave Chuck a haughty glare. Even in the heat of almost certain death, the palpable sexual tension was so strong between the two that her heated expression said as much as his sentence did.

"I'm gay."

Everyone's attention went towards Eric. He said it like the most bland statement. Everyone knew that and it was obvious he was just trying to break the tension even in the middle of an electrical storm.

Suddenly the sun broke through the clouds and the rain receded. The pilot's door opened.

"We're alive!" he yelled. "We're going to make it."

Chuck exhaled and whipped out his gold case. He took out his silver lighter and lit a joint, exhaling a cloud of smoke. Blair wiped away the furious tears that were still streaming dowin her face.


	3. The Phone Call

**A/N:** I don't know if this fic is really well received, but I sort of forgot that I was writing it until I found it on my computer again, so sorry for those of you who actually like it. Anyway, this is the last chapter. I like this chapter, even if it is a litte OOC, but I'm not really sure if it fits into the story. I sort of think it makes the entire story a little obsolete, but whatever. I hope you like it.

**Summary**: "You shouldn't talk like that," she said after a pause. "People will think that you're not a heartless bastard."

**Disclaimer**: I don't own GG or anything I got this idea from.

* * *

"You shouldn't be calling me," she whispered.

His heart clenched at the mere sound of her voice. He had been gone a while. Just like Bangkok. He didn't know whether she was engaged, or married, or... something that he wanted so badly he couldn't even name.

"I shouldn't have fallen in love with you but I did it anyway," he said. "I was never really one for fallowing the rules."

I missed her laughter.

"I hate it when you do that, you know," she said softly.

"Do what?" he questioned.

"Make me love you so much. Make me laugh when I'm holding myself together at the seams."

His breath hitched in his throat. She had a way with words. She could make him break with just a look.

"I don't know how this happened," he confessed. "One day I'm seducing women on roof tops of parties. The next... I'm breaking my back just to know your name."

She smiled at his sentiment. His voice was like poetry to her. He could seduce women with just a look. He could weave clear innuendos and witty comments without a second's hesitation. He was beautiful and she was a slave to him just like every other woman on the planet.

"You were against the rules," he continued. "You were out of bounds. Off limits. Prohbited. I pretended not to notice you. But when you were free, I couldn't do anything but fall for you. Even when you were off limits again, I just couldn't go back, knowing what was really out there for me."

She closed her eyes. It was the most he had ever admitted to her. She always had to press him to show his feelings. Now, he was just opening up to her.

"No one sees me like you do," he said. "Everyone sees a screw up who's a borderline alcoholic. You saw something that no one else bothered to see. You saw me when I didn't want you to. You know me better than anyone. You understand me. You make me a better perosn. You make me want to be a better person. You made me love you."

She didn't know what to say to all of that. She didn't know if that was an accusation or a compliment. All that she knew was that she was done with games. All she knew was that she had almost missed him and she wasn't about to do that anymore. She didn't care if it was an accusation. His words were magic to her. She never wanted anything else.

"You shouldn't talk like that," she said after a pause. "People will think that you're not a heartless bastard."

"All that matters is what you think," he answered honestly.

"I don't know..." she said. "...what to think."

"All that matters is what you feel," he ammended. He heard her sigh on the other side of the phone.

"I told you what I feel," she said.

"We've been through too much to just let this one go," he said. "I'm done watching you pass me by. I'm done with a world of almosts. I'm done being without you."

"This feels eerily familiar."

That was when he knew he had her. She remembered everything. He remembered everything.

"I can find you," he said. "Whever you are. I can get to you. Just say it and I'm there. This time I'm there."

However, this time, she wouldn't make him do that. She knew he had all the PI's at his disposal. He could find her in a heartbeat. But he wouldn't have to resort to that. This time she trusted him. She wouldn't make him look. She would tell him.

"Do you have a pen?"

His lips curled up in relief. It was time. It was time for them. No more almosts. This time, they were together for real.


End file.
